Not talked about enough. Great comic director. My favourites: The Producers, Young Frankenstein, Blazing Saddles, and Silent Movie.
What's everyones favourite Brooks film? (I'm expecting a lot of Spaceballs)
elephant man
:)
I should clarify before there's a slew of those responses.. films he directed.
Quote from: Cinephile
What's everyones favourite Brooks film? (I'm expecting a lot of Spaceballs)
..yep that one and Blazing Saddles are 1,2:2,1
I feel he went downfall as a filmmaker after Silent Movie.. the movies were funny, but the comedic brilliance was released in his movies of the 60's/70's.
Blazin' Saddles (http://www.ladyofthecake.com/mel/saddles/sounds/bstheme.wav)is prolly my fav ...
There are so many great lines in it too.
Quote from: CinephileNot talked about enough. Great comic director. My favourites: The Producers, Young Frankenstein, Blazing Saddles, and Silent Movie.
What's everyones favourite Brooks film? (I'm expecting a lot of Spaceballs)
when did he jump the shark i think men in tights was the last OK one spaceballs was fun but silly but after men in tights, he just fell off the map
then came broadway
It was unfortunate for the broadway show to lose L.S.D. (who was Brooks' favourite character and mine), but since it would've been awfully dated, I'm glad with how they revised it. It was a great, hilarious production. Didn't win a record setting number of Tonys for nothing.
Quote from: CinephileIt was unfortunate for the broadway show to lose L.S.D. .
i thought nathan lane was on something that night i saw the show , i just assumed it was a bad batch of poppers
i get seriously annoyed by the constant jew-references. and the ending to blazing saddles sucked ass.
i like young frankenstein, though.
Quote from: snaporazi get seriously annoyed by the constant jew-references. and the ending to blazing saddles sucked ass.
jeez....he offends every possible race, creed, species in this flick....I guess it all depends on what yer own little years hear thou.
Quote from: snaporazi get seriously annoyed by the constant jew-references.
Why is this? Brooks is famously Jewish and is the best man at making those jokes as he's done them since the beginning of "The 2000 Year Old Man". So is it just a personal pet peeve or what?
I loved Blazing Saddles!
my faves: blazing saddles (i love the farting scene, hehe), young frankenstein ("what hump?") silent movie ( ), spaceballs ("i bet she gives great helmet."), robin hood ("who wants a circumcision?" "i'll have two!"), and am I the only one who actually liked dracula: dead and loving it?
well those r the only ones i've seen of his. those and high anxiety, which i didn't like.
The Producers Moving Forward to the Big Screen
Source: Variety
Matthew Broderick and Nathan Lane have reached deals to bring The Producers, Mel Brooks' hit Broadway show, to the big screen for Universal Pictures. The two stars, who just began their second Broadway run, have signed deals to star in a film adaptation. Filming is set to start in early 2005, with a late 2005 release planned.
Universal Pictures has acquired domestic rights for the feature adaptation which will now become both an adaptation of the Broadway play and a remake of Brooks' 1968 film, which starred Gene Wilder and Zero Mostel.
Other key members behind the stage show are also said to be on board, including Brooks, who will produce, his co-writer Thomas Meehan, and Susan Stroman to helm.
(https://xixax.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2FB00005OCJO.01._PE10_SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg&hash=16369478bc3f334905265855085fc4ee4c8f4c07)
See, now I have no problems with this because I recently got this DVD above, and in it, Brooks is shown talking about how it'd make a great film adaptation, and I agree. So I'm looking forward to this one, especially since it's starring Lane and Broderick.
On a sidenote, Lane quips to Brooks on the DVD about how the film adaptation would star Danny DeVito and Ben Stiller. For any fans of the Producers, this DVD is GREAT.
Nicole Kidman is Ulla in The Producers
Source: Variety
Nicole Kidman will play Ulla, the hysterically sexy secretary to Max Bialystock (Nathan Lane) and Leo Bloom (Matthew Broderick) in the big screen version of Mel Brooks' The Producers.
Susan Stroman, who'll direct the film version, told Variety of the Kidman casting, "I'm so excited, she's so versatile." Stroman adds that the film, like the play, takes place mostly on stages -- but there also will be exteriors -- like on Shubert Alley, "with all the eccentric characters who really live in New York."
Brooks and Thomas Meehan are busy writing the film script to start shooting next February, with a release at Christmas 2005. Universal handles the domestic distribution with Columbia taking foreign.
:shock:
My life will be complete if The Producers is a big Oscar movie in 2 years.
Quote from: MacGuffinNicole Kidman is Ulla in The Producers
Source: Variety
but she will not be doing Lars Von Trier's Manderlay nor Washington... *sigh...
Who is doing Mr. Belvedere's part?
Quote from: chuckhimselfo.but she will not be doing Lars Von Trier's Manderlay nor Washington... *sigh...
Quote from: RaviWho is doing Mr. Belvedere's part?
Mr. Belvedere is in the Von Trier trilogy!?!? maybe i do want to see them after all...
Mel Brooks is so hit and miss for me.
Ex. Young Frankenstein...I really love this movie, probably one of my favorite comedies.
On the otherhand, Blazing Saddles I've watched numerous times and I just don't find it to be funny. Alright, you insult all the races and ethnic groups, etc but still, not that funny. I just don't get what people see in it.
Warner Home Video's next batch of two-disc special editions due in May will include the Blazing Saddles: 30th Anniversary Special Edition.
Quote from: MacGuffinThe Producers Moving Forward to the Big Screen
Source: Variety
Matthew Broderick and Nathan Lane have reached deals to bring The Producers, Mel Brooks' hit Broadway show, to the big screen for Universal Pictures. The two stars, who just began their second Broadway run, have signed deals to star in a film adaptation. Filming is set to start in early 2005, with a late 2005 release planned.
Universal Pictures has acquired domestic rights for the feature adaptation which will now become both an adaptation of the Broadway play and a remake of Brooks' 1968 film, which starred Gene Wilder and Zero Mostel.
Other key members behind the stage show are also said to be on board, including Brooks, who will produce, his co-writer Thomas Meehan, and Susan Stroman to helm.
The producers of the musical version of "The Producers" talked about this, nothing that hasn't been said here though. I saw them at a panel discussion on wednesday. It was interesting, although my knowledge and interest in broadway is minimal.
I guess this is a good time to say that Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan are currently writing the book for Young Frankenstein!
Quote from: themodernage02Warner Home Video's next batch of two-disc special editions due in May will include the Blazing Saddles: 30th Anniversary Special Edition.
Warner Home Video have announced the Region 1 DVD release of Blazing Saddles 30th Anniversary Edition for 29th June 2004 with a retail price of $19.97. Mel Brooks' comedy western gets the special edition treatment with the following features present...
2.40:1 Anamorphic Widescreen
New Dolby Digital 5.1 mix
Spanish Mono
English, French and Spanish subtitles
Scene specific commentary by Mel Brooks
Cast/Crew reunion documentary
Intimate Portrait: Madelaine Kahn Remembers
Black Bart, the 1975 TV Pilot inspired by the movie
Additional Scenes
Also...
Will Ferrell in Talks for The Producers Source: Variety
Variety says that Will Ferrell is in talks to play Franz Liebkind, the wacky Nazi playwright of "Springtime for Hitler" in the film of the musical The Producers.
He would join Mel Brooks' already-set New York cast of Nathan Lane, Matthew Broderick, Roger Bart (Carmen Ghia), Gary Beach (Roger De Bris) plus Nicole Kidman as Ulla.
Susan Stroman directs the film as she did the legiter. And in her first feature Stroman plans to "open up" the legiter with scenes such as the little old ladies chorus emerging from their Park Ave. apartments and dancing their spectacular number on walkers -- down Park Avenue.
Image art here here (http://dvdtimes.co.uk/content.php?contentid=10921).
SPACEBALLS Gets Animated
Mel Brooks farce will be animated for the small screen via Brooksfilms and MGM Domestic TV. Source: FilmStew.com
Get ready for more Pizza the Hut, with oozing cheese and pepperoni sliding down his face. BFC Berliner Film Companie has partnered with Brooksfilms and MGM Domestic Television Distribution to create an animated television series based on the classic Mel Brooks comedy Spaceballs.
Under the agreement, BFC and MGM will produce an hour-long pilot and 13 half-hour episodes. Additionally, MGM will distribute the program in the U.S., Canada and internationally (with the exception of Germany).
Brooks and Thomas Meehan, who together co-wrote the original screenplay, will write the pilot and supervise writing on the rest of the series. Brooks and BFC CEO Rainer Soehnlein will serve as executive producers, and Brooks will provide the voice of two main characters, President Scroob and Yogurt, as he did in the film.
Spaceballs was released theatrically in 1987. The film's storyline focuses on President Scroob, who sends Lord Dark Helmet to steal Planet Druidia's abundant supply of air to replenish that of his own planet. Only the hero, Lone Star, can stop the evil plan.
After a long time I watched Spaceballs and I didn't find it nearly as funny as I did before. It has some pretty good jokes at times, but there were quite a few dry patches and jokes that seemed forced, and Bill Pullman isn't too funny either. Also, why wasn't this shot in 2.35:1? Gotta love that oh-so-eighties song at the end, though. "We're the Spaceballs! Watch out!"
Mel Brooks Creating A Young Frankenstein Musical?
After turning his film The Producers into one of the most successful Broadway musicals of all time, it's being rumored that Mel Brooks might be looking to do the same thing with Young Frankenstein. Easily a classic, Frankenstein starred Gene Wilder as the grandson of Dr. Victor von Frankenstein who, after discovering granddad's diary and inheriting his spooky castle, makes an attempt to create his own monster.
Young Frankenstein was nominated for two Academy Awards (Best Sound and Best Adapted Screenplay) and is set to hit the streets of New York in 2007.
:shock:
Quote from: MacGuffin on April 06, 2006, 02:01:48 PM
Mel Brooks Creating A Young Frankenstein Musical?
After turning his film The Producers into one of the most successful Broadway musicals of all time, it's being rumored that Mel Brooks might be looking to do the same thing with Young Frankenstein.
Quote from: Hedwig on April 06, 2006, 02:22:44 PM
:shock:
page 2..
Quote from: Cinephile on March 05, 2004, 01:21:16 AM
I guess this is a good time to say that Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan are currently writing the book for Young Frankenstein!
Mel Brooks thinks it time for Frankenstein to dance
Mel Brooks thinks it is almost time for Frankenstein to sing and dance on Broadway.
The comic filmmaker, who made a monster hit musical out of his 1968 movie "The Producers" says he is adapting another of his classic film comedies for the stage -- this time the 1974 "Young Frankenstein," a spoof on the Frankenstein saga which he says is perhaps the best movie he ever made.
With no deadline set, Brooks says he is in the middle of writing the score, including a song for scary Frau Blucher, the caretaker of the Frankenstein castle still madly in love with that late, unlamented mad scientist.
When the whole musical is completed, Brooks says he will make a formal announcement to raise money.
"It is going to be wonderful," Brooks said in a telephone interview, just before he burst into a German-accented version of his Frau Blucher song:
"He vus my boyfriend; He vould come home in a snit; He vould have a terrible fit; I am the first thing he vould hit but I didn't give a shit; He vus my boyfriend."
How could a show like this miss? In fact, you might ask, how can anything that the 79-year-old Mel Brooks writes, directs or stars in miss?
To find out just how much of a national treasure he is, the Mel Brooks DVD collection has just been issued by Twentieth Century Fox Home entertainment, containing eight of his films from "Blazing Saddles to "Young Frankenstein." All that is missing are the two film versions of "The Producers," which will be issued in May in a separate collection.
A FAVORITE
Brooks says his favorite film in the collection is "To Be or Not to Be," a remake of the old Jack Benny classic which he neither wrote nor directed but rather starred in alongside his wife, the actress Anne Bancroft, who died last year of cancer.
"I miss my wife. We had such a good time making that movie and she was so damned good in it. But listen (the boxed set) is a treasure trove. People should buy 20 at a time and use them for Christmas presents. They make incredible gifts," he said.
The set contains five films never before issued on DVD, including "The Twelve Chairs," a film some critics consider Brooks' neglected masterpiece. "I was damned good in it," Brooks said of his performance as a serf who loves to be beaten by his Russian aristocratic master.
The set also contains an unspoken reminder: the man many consider one of the funniest filmmakers in American history pretty much does not make movies any more.
He produced last year's musical film version of "The Producers," but did not direct it. His last film directing effort was in 1995, "Dracula: Dead and Loving It."
As far as Brooks is concerned, Broadway is more fun, especially since movies have become too much of a big business.
"I never had trouble getting films made. But when things got rough. I got involved on Broadway because there is a modicum of art still alive there. The movies today are a big, tough, cut and dried business. A movie opens on a Friday and it either makes its money or it doesn't. They don't let films build word of mouth any more," he said, adding:
"Broadway is like it was 50 years ago. You can get the money for a show, you can take the show out of town and try it out. The only reason I made a movie of the musical version of 'The Producers' was so we'd have a record of it."
When he made "Young Frankenstein" in 1974, Brooks said he did everything he could to emulate the 1930s James Whale movie, from shooting the whole film in black and white to using many of the same shoots that Whale did.
Now Brooks says his challenge is to do the musical on Broadway with a black and white set, with all the mists and moodiness of the original movie plus laughs and songs. As he said in one of his movies, "It's good to be the king."
Where's the Artistic Freedom?
Funny man Mel Brooks laments the lack of humor in Hollywood these days.
By Ramin Setoodeh, Newsweek
April 2, 2006 - Hollywood legend Mel Brooks has too many credits to name, but here goes. He directed 1968's "The Producers" and was the producer of the 2005 remake. He was creator of the 1965 series "Get Smart" and returned to TV in a recurring part on "Mad About You." His films are classics: "Blazing Saddles," "High Anxiety," "The Twelve Chairs," "To Be Or Not To Be," "Young Frankenstein," "Spaceballs," "History of the World: Part I" and "Robin Hood: Men In Tights." With the Mel Brooks DVD boxed set coming to stores this week, he spoke to NEWSWEEK's Ramin Setoodeh. Excerpts:
NEWSWEEK: Hi Mel. Where are you today?
Mel Brooks: You're talking to me from sunny Southern California. This is where my office is, in Culver City. This is where I make my movies, develop my Broadway shows. This is good territory—just a few blocks away from the old MGM.
What are you working on now?
I'm working on a Broadway show. It's called "Young Frankenstein." I'm writing the songs for it and a new sparkling book based on the movie.
Did you expect "The Producers" to become a huge hit?
Getting 12 Tony's—the most ever. Still running today, geez, no.
I have your new box set sitting right here. Why does "Blazing Saddles" still resonate today?
It's politically incorrect—and it's so refreshing. You could never have those scenes today, where you beat the s--- out of an old lady. There's a kind of artistic freedom that we yearn for that we don't get today. We get dirty stuff, sexy stuff, but we don't get racial stuff ever.
Yes. But we have "Crash."
You can't laugh at it, but you can laugh at the fact that they gave it the Academy Award. You know, the Academy Awards were so crazy they should've called it the Independent Film Festival. It lost all the glitz and glamour. That politically correct s--- was going on again—let's do the right thing, these are important movies, good movies. There's no flare, no sweep, no Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.
I was bored.
It was absolutely dull. They should ask Billy Crystal to come back. He was funny and he had production numbers at the beginning.
Are you doing a "Get Smart" movie?
Leave it alone! It's a perfectly good series. We don't need the movie. "Bewitched," wasn't that terrible? Why not do a comedy about finding Osama bin Laden? Is he here? Is he there? Let's have fun. Let's do a little White House scene with Bush and Condoleezza Rice and Cheney going, "Why the f--- did we go there?"
What else should we talk about?
Where did you grow up?
Fresno, California.
I know where that is.
Now you're interviewing me!
That's OK. It's not cheating. I'm an observer, a writer—I observe humanity and get the best of them and put them in my movies. Can you write about my son's book? It's called the "Zombie Survival Guide." If you run into a zombie, you need this dense manual that has to deal with zombies. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree—but zombies? The apple fell down and rolled all the way to Cincinnati.
Have you ever needed to fight off zombies?
A lot of people I work for in the studios were zombies, they just didn't know it.
You should be aware that readers are reporting that SOME copies of the Fox's recent Mel Brooks Collection DVD box set contain a version of Young Frankenstein that's non-anamorphic widescreen, while other copies contain an anamorphic widescreen version. All of the films in the set SHOULD be anamorphic widescreen. If you get a non-anamorphic copy of the film in your set, we suggest you take it back to the retailer it was purchased from and try to exchange for one with the correct version. We're trying to determine if there's any way to identify the correct version on the outside of the package. If there is, we'll let you know. By the way, we should also let you know that the set includes the movie-only version of Blazing Saddles, so don't sell your existing 30th Anniversary Special Edition thinking you'll get a even trade-up on the extras.